The Five Pillars of Islam

Main article: Five Pillars of Islam

According to Islamic Tradition, there are five basic things that Muslims should do. They are called "The Five Pillars of Islam":

1.       Faith: The Testimony (shahadah in Arabic) is the Muslim belief that there is no god but God himself, and that Muhammad is his messenger.

2.       Prayer: Muslims pray five times at special times of the day. This is facing the holy city Mecca. Prayer is called salat in Arabic andnamaz in Persian, Turkish and Urdu. Shias and Quranists however pray 3 times a day.

3.       Charity: Muslims who have money must give alms (zakah in Arabic) to help those less fortunate in the world.

4.       Fasting: Muslims fast (saum in Arabic) during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year. They do not eat or drink from sunrise till sunset for one lunar month. After Ramadan, there is a holiday called Eid al-Fitr (English: Festival of end-fast). Muslims usually have a party with families and friends and go to the mosque in the morning for a special service.

5.       Pilgrimage (Hajj in Arabic): During the pilgrimage season, many Muslims go to Makkah, the holiest city of Islam, which is in Saudi Arabia. Muslims must make the hajj at least once in their life if they can afford to do so. There is no need if a Muslim does not have the money or health to make the Hajj. At the end of Hajj season, there is a holiday called Eid al-Adha (English: Festival of Sacrifice). Muslims who can afford to do so or who have made the Hajj must buy an animal which they are allowed to eat (Halal), usually a goat, to sacrifice according to Islamic laws and cook as food or give away to the poor, if they have the money for it. Muslims believe that Ibraham, one of God's earliest messengers, was told by God on the day of Eid al-Adha to sacrifice his son in Jerusalem. But the angelJibril congratulated Ibraham's obedience to God and gave him a lamb instead.